DIARY OF AN AGGRIEVED NIGERIAN

8 Unavoidable Reasons why 

FELA DUROTOYE 

should not be 

PRESIDENT

We are all interested in seeing a remarkable change. Although the kind of change that the present government  delivered to us despite their mouthwatering promises has  brought about this  internal awakening and a quest for another kind of change. We all want something new. But there are some of us who choose to defer. We choose to see things differently; we choose to be iconoclasts.

Everyone wants to eat fried rice, but some of us choose to eat a different kind of rice and some of us choose to roast our rice. If everyone sees nothing wrong in something, then be careful of that thing; it could be a trap or a set up. Just my simple opinion though.

Mr. Olufela Durotoye has been gaining support, recommendations and encomiums from various cadres and he seems to be getting popular on his supposed ‘divine quest’ to become the next Nigerian president. Good as this may seem, I have my thoughts and sentiments which could be taken into grim-faced consideration. Here are my inevitable reasons why Mr. Fela Durotoye should NOT be PRESIDENT. You could learn something from it so enjoy the ride.

1. HE IS WAY TOO HANDSOME: Fortunately, Nigeria has never had any handsome and eloquent civilian president in a very long time. No offences, but our previous civilian presidents usually have either big tribal marks, big nose, big heads, big eyes, protruded tommy etc. Unfortunately, this is the very first time in a long while (after Pastor Chris Okotie) that a presidential aspirant is looking handsome, slim and posh. Wetin happen? Do you want all the women whose husbands have protruded tommy, whose husbands are ugly with big tribal marks and whose husbands are either plump or stout to start using him as a yardstick? This will cause serious mayhem in our Nigerian homes. How can we allow a fine boy to become our president? We still need ugly presidents boh. We are not ripe enough to have a fine boy ruling us. So when voting for your president of choice, please vote wisely. lolz

2. HE IS STILL VERY YOUNG: yes, yes, yes! It’s no longer news that the French and Canadian National principals are in their early 40s and Fela is just 47 years old. But, this is Nigeria and usually, our Presidents are voted into power when they are in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and even 90s. Why does he want to break this Nigerian plague? He needs to wait till he is over 60. I guess by then he should have become a grandfather and grandfathers always think about how to cater for their grandchildren and their thoughts are usually clearer. Fela is still very young to be Nigeria’s president jare. Please let him not don’t break the jinx jor. This will not go down well with some “political cabals”. However, if you want to break this age scourge, then vote with discretion but don’t you ever say I didn’t notify you.

3. HE IS NOT AN ASTUTE POLITICIAN: Fela by training is a Consultant, Motivational speaker and Life Coach. Yes! he knows how to animate the crowd with words, he knows how to stare the minds of people with librettos, he knows how to instill codes of conducts into people but he is not a politician. Nigerian Politicians though not so eloquent, know how to make empty promises that leave their followers in ecstasy. Mr. Fela does not know how to manipulate people, he does not know how to create fictional stories that will keep the journalists busy, he does not know how to perform magic like other experienced politicians in the old block. Do you want such a person to become your President? You might assert that Donald Trump was not a politician but you must know that this is Nigeria. Please choose your president with discretion.

4. HE REALLY LIKES MONEY: FD no try abeg! He really hurt me without knowing. I remember 7 years ago as a student, I needed mentorship, experience and exposure to enable me build my public speaking and consulting career.  So I went to his office to apply as an intern. His secretary promised to get back to me, only for me to receive a mail from her inviting me for a training program that will cost me 50k and all I would get after the training was a certificate and FD’s signature in a book written by another author? Habba!, that was very mean. How could I have afforded 50k as a student? At another time, I visited a church and he happened to be holding a program there and I was told to pay a fee before entering. I said to myself, not again! Yet, at another time, I got a message from him on Facebook, inviting me for another program he is organizing on the island that he placed a price tag that I couldn’t afford’. I actually lost interest in his empowerment and training programs. I kept asking myself, why is FD always charging fees for all his programs? It dawned on me that this man likes money like an ibo man mehhhn! But guess what? After using these long years to amass so much wealth for himself, he is now asking people to donate money for him to run his presidential campaign. But come to think of it, ‘who no like money? Everybody like money but FD own too much joor’. When he becomes President, what do you think will happen? Let me reserve my comment on that.

Now, Let’s talk about his wife Tara Durotoye. Few months ago, Tara wrote on her Instagram page that she was full of tears when she released her husband to serve the country. My sister that is ‘story for the gods’. What kind of crocodile tears is that? Abeg she should stop deceiving us becasubee if peradventure FD becomes the President of Nigeria, wont she be addressed as the first lady? And when she becomes the first lady, wont she enjoy the euphoria, accolades and all the benefits that comes along with the title? Abeg make we hear word jare….…lolz.

5. HE HAS ONLY ONE WELL KNOWN PROTÉGÉ: of a truth, FD as he is fondly called has trained and mentored several individuals, but how come we only know one successful protégé ‘Steve Harris’? so where are the others? Are they still ‘on their way’? It is said that a leader is not successful until he has been able to produce other successful leaders. When FD becomes the President he won’t have the opportunity to do what he knows how to do best. If he runs for the first 4 years and he performs well, there is every tendency that he will like run for another tenure, making it a total of 8 years in the corridors of power. No more protégées except political appointees. So if you were looking up to FD to groom you up, just forget about it. Find someone else.  I rest my case!

6. IN HIS NATURE OF JOB NOTHING IS FREE: majority of People are not keen to take a peek into the future, they are just concerned with the present facade which was why they blindly and blatantly voted for a dictator because they wanted change at all cost. Don’t get me wrong, FD is not a ‘dictator’ he is rather a supposed ‘Liberator’. However, it is imperative to let you know that FD is not as accessible as you think he is, except now that he is canvasing for support. Secondly, he charges very well for his consulting jobs and he has been practicing consulting for almost two decades, meaning that he has become accustomed to it. What do you think will happen when he becomes the President of Nigeria? It means that if you want to see President FD, you will have to pay a ‘Consulting Fee’. In fact, he might give it a code name like PCF (Presidential Consulting Fee) and of course, a committee as usual, will be created for that. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Choose your president wisely.

7. HE NEVER GAVE ANY FREE BOOK: Recently, I read about a young lady who read his book years ago and according to her it was given to her for free and she is now a first class graduate. Well, that’s very lovely but for your information, nothing is really free, what you thought was free was actually not free, it had already been paid for by the State (I guess). His materials are not free and it’s still not free because if they are, how would the reproduction of the book continue? So don’t expect anything free from FD when he becomes President. Education will not be free, fuel will not be free, food will not be free, clothing will not be free, housing will not be free, and even seeing him will not be free. Don’t get it twisted.

8. HE WILL ANNIHILATE THE OLD SYMMETRY: Nigeria and Nigerians are already accustomed to the old symmetry of governance. The old symmetry of governance has always been trended with; chasing corrupt politicians till the end of the tenure to create an impression that they are working, the constant frenzy of hollowed promises, making accusations and counter accusations of other political opponents, never ever taking personal responsibility for anything but to keep playing the blame game syndrome till the end of the tenure, choosing ethnicity in political appointments over national interest and development, keeping the populace busy with the Nigerian political actions movies and dramas etc.  Nigerians, is this what you really want? If you still prefer the old symmetry, then don’t make FD your president but if this is not what you want then be ready to work your butts out because it will totally change and he will ensure that you produce significant results. Nevertheless, the voting choice is yours to make.

Finally, election is 10 months away, young people go get your PVC, so you can decide your national destiny.

My ‘candidate’ sorry, candid advice for you, yes you reading this article is this “do not just be a social media commentator and orchestrator, instead become a political participator so you won’t end up becoming a political survivor who is manipulated by the old political gladiators that use the weapon of politrics to turn common citizens into political spectators”. If you really know what is good for this country, then vote for the right candidate. Don’t say that I didn’t warn you. If you ask me who to vote for, well I guess I ‘ll vote for FD.

Phew! Let me come and be going……before people say that FD has paid me to campaign for him.

Iamdanielkemka